Description
Painted ceramic sherds found at late Fremont Native American sites mainly consist of black-on-gray or black-on-white types produced in central and southern Utah. Fremont red-on-gray pottery stands out as a lesser-known painted type mentioned in early Fremont ceramic classifications yet has received limited attention. Recent excavations across various sites, primarily in the northern Fremont region, have yielded numerous new red-on-gray sherds, offering fresh insights. This presentation portrays observations and analysis of these new Fremont red-on-gray sherds. Results indicate that, in certain instances, Fremont potters deviated significantly from the painting traditions found in the southern regions. This webinar explores several plausible explanations for this deviation and concludes that Fremont red-on-gray pottery may represent an active expression of social identity and group membership that diverges from the prevailing social norms and structures at the heart of the Fremont ceramic production and exchange in the Parowan Valley of south-central Utah.